White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt is facing fierce backlash after pointing the finger at Democrats for the weekend shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner—while ignoring incendiary rhetoric coming from Republicans and the president himself.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries didn’t hold back Monday, calling Leavitt a “stone-cold liar” during a press conference on Capitol Hill.
“She had the nerve to stand up there and read talking points… and didn’t have a word to say about anything that MAGA extremists have said or done,” Jeffries said, accusing her of selectively targeting Democrats while overlooking rhetoric tied to the January 6 attack and beyond.
The clash comes after Leavitt used a White House briefing to argue that Democratic language helped fuel the हिंसा, following Saturday’s attempted attack at the Washington Hilton, where a gunman targeted Donald Trump and other administration officials.
Leavitt singled out Jeffries himself, pointing to his recent warning that Republicans would face “maximum warfare” over redistricting battles in Florida.
“This political violence stems from a systemic demonization” of Trump and his supporters, Leavitt said, blaming “commentators, elected Democrats, and some in the media” for creating what she described as a dangerous environment.
But Jeffries fired back, accusing Leavitt—and the administration more broadly—of hypocrisy.
“This so-called White House press secretary wants to lecture America about civility? Get lost,” he said. “Clean up your own house.”
The war of words highlights a familiar pattern in Washington: after a violent incident, both sides scramble to assign blame, often pointing to each other’s rhetoric while downplaying their own.
Jeffries also stood by his “maximum warfare” comment, arguing it was clearly tied to political and legal fights over redistricting—not a call to violence.
Meanwhile, critics note that Leavitt has previously made controversial statements of her own, including past remarks broadly attacking Democrats in highly charged terms—comments that have resurfaced amid the current controversy.
